Francis heading off to French fields

TOMAS Francis is set to leave Wales and has agreed a threeyear deal to join second tier French outfit Provence Rugby.

The 31-year-old tighthead is expected to leave the Ospreys at the end of the season, and has been heavily linked in the French media with a move to Provence. The Western Mail has had this verified by numerous sources, with Francis expected to head across the Channel at the conclusion of the World Cup.

Given he has 71 caps for Wales, he will remain eligible for international selection while plying his trade in the Pro D2, although whether playing in the second division of French rugby is the best preparation for Test rugby is another matter.

Welsh rugby is going through a period of austerity in a bid to create a more sustainable financial future, with wages being aggressively driven down and the playing budgets of all four regions being cut.

We have been told that Provence, who finished eighth in the Pro D2 table, are one of the biggest payers in the second division of French rugby. Based in Aix-en-Provence, just north of Marseille, they are a growing force in the French game.

Francis won’t be the only Welsh international playing in Pro D2 next season, with Ross Moriarty at Biarritz and Sam Davies at Grenoble.

It is unclear whether the former Exeter Chiefs man will continue playing for Wales after the World Cup. Wales have Dillon Lewis, Leon Brown, Henry Thomas, Kieran Assiratti, Harri O’Connor and Sam Wainwright as options.

Francis has been the cornerstone of the Welsh pack since Gatland selected him in his 2015 World Cup training squad out of nowhere, and is likely to be just as important in France this autumn.